But it is not all muddled stories and randomly appearing characters. For as poorly structured as the plot may be, his dialogue can be pretty witty. Val discussing how butt sex is okay, because of her “Christain” values, or how Jessica’s mom is utterly oblivious to all the dead bodies piling up in her house are genuinely funny. The acidic barbs, the vampires, and Jessica, trade with each other, in a mean-spirited yet friendly way that are also funny.
However, the main drawback of Girls Just Wanna Have Blood is its uneven acting. Amanda Renee is good as the girl who grew up too quickly and longs for escape. When confronting the vampires about their body count, she sounds genuinely concerned for the dead. As the killer trio, Gustin, Praline, and Destyne Marshaish have an easygoing chemistry and are fun.
“For as poorly structured as the plot may be, his dialogue can be pretty witty.”
As Val, Cavallo overacts and mugs like a bad SNL sketch, and does not fit in with the rest of the movie. Nor does Craig Kelly as Boris Von Yelsing, whose questionable accent and mediocre physical comedy grind the film to a halt. Bettina Skye does not fare much better, vacillating between weak comedic gags and too serious to fit the tone. All of the actors are doing their own thing, so, aside from the main four, no one feels like they are in the same movie.
As such, the viewer can’t become thoroughly enmeshed in the story, characters, or the world of the movie. If the director did not care enough to rein in the actors and make sure everyone was aiming for the same kind of experience, why should the audience care enough to invest it? That is the underwhelming note that sticks with the audience the most.
Occasional moments or lines work in Girls Just Wanna Have Blood, so it is not a total waste of time. But the writing and the acting are both so all over the place that it is not as fun a journey as the pitch of Lost Boys by way of The Craft would make it seem.
"…being entertained is a nebulous thing."
